The University of Southampton has learned of the death of Lieutenant Andrew Chesterman in Afghanistan.
Lieutenant Chesterman, 26, was a member of the 3rd Battalion The Rifles. He studied Mechanical Engineering at Southampton before attending the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth and then the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He was commissioned into The Rifles in December 2010 and, after completing the Platoon Commanders鈥� Battle Course, joined the 3rd Battalion.
Lieutenant Chesterman was shot and injured while leading a vehicle patrol through the Nad鈥橝li district of central Helmand, after the lead vehicle was severely damaged by an improvised explosive device.
During his time in Southampton, Lieutenant Chesterman was a member of the Thunderer Squadron which is part of the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme administered by the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. He was described in The Daily Telegraph as 鈥渁n outstanding leader of men鈥�, an attribute he ably demonstrated from his earliest days in Thunderer Squadron.
Dr Neil Richardson, the University鈥檚 Director of Military Education, remembers him as an excellent student and a young man with great potential.
鈥淥ur thoughts are with Andrew鈥檚 family and friends at this time,鈥� said Dr Richardson. 鈥淚 had the privilege of teaching him and he was an excellent student. His death is a tragic loss and he will be missed by all who had the pleasure to know him.鈥�